When it comes to recommendations on what products to buy, which movie to watch, or where you should go on your next vacation, nothing is more powerful than “word of mouth”.
And because of quick access to information via the internet, consumers have become more discerning of what they spend their hard-earned cash on.
Influencer marketing is powerful stuff. Using celebrities to represent a brand may still work on the older generation, but the younger generation is looking to influencers to influence their purchasing decisions.
By sharing insight on how a product or service works for them, influencers are seen more as peers than experts. And we all know that when it comes to deciding what brands to support, peers are more credible than experts.
Want to know how you can be a successful influencer in your industry? Here are some tips on how you can gain a solid following this year.
1. Choose a niche.
The first thing that you need to do is choose a niche where you will flourish. You can’t just post any content and leave it to your followers to figure out how they should respond.
You need to talk about things that you’re passionate about to get a positive reaction.
2. Focus on highlighting your values.
Once you’ve chosen a niche, the next thing that you need to do is focus on the values that you want to highlight.
This is the part where you ask yourself the very important question: “What exactly do you stand for?”
3. Hang out where your target audience hangs out.
Part of running a successful business is understanding your target market. It’s pretty much the same with influencer marketing.
You need to know who you’re talking to and where they’re spending most of their time to be able to deliver engaging content.
4. Create a content strategy.
As cliché as it sounds, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Sure, anyone can post pretty pictures of stuff on their social media accounts, but the greats know that it takes a well-built strategy to keep your audience wanting more.
5. Diversify your content.
If content is king in the digital marketing sphere, then variety is queen.
There are tons of content ideas that you can include in your content strategy, so don’t settle for just photos and status updates.
Amp things up with some videos that really speak to your crowd.
6. Make every post personal.
People online can sense when an influencer is only yanking your chain, so make it your goal to make every post count.
Don’t waste your time or influence on meaningless content just because you have a calendar to fill.
7. Engage your followers.
Comments and DMs are an influencer’s lifeblood. If you want to grow your following, find time to respond to your followers.
You can also get great results from hosting a giveaway or two.
8. Keep up with the latest updates and trends.
The social media marketing sphere is fast changing and ever evolving. Make sure that you keep up with your chosen network’s algorithm updates and terms and conditions.
Also, try to stay updated with different strategies that other influencers are doing.